Episode 707: Kershaw as a Closer, the Phillies' Pitching Apocalypse, and Other Emails
Date July 24, 2015 Summary Ben and Sam banter about analytics and secrecy, then answer listener emails about aces in relief, the Phillies’ terrible rotation, and more. Topics * Pitchers not swinging during an at-bat * Using top starters in relief * Aroldis Chapman & Clayton Kershaw * Pitcher win rules * Philadelphia Phillies struggling starters Intro Donovan, "Catch the Wind" Outro Episode outtake sound clip Banter * Sam slept in a hammock last night. * Episode 706 follow-up: Sam wonders if it is possible that teams have been able to keep certain analytics breakthroughs secret. Email Questions * Eric: "Relief pitchers as a group have better stats and peripherals than their starting pitcher peers because their stuff plays up in one inning spurts. But starting pitchers are generally thought of as more talented, their job is harder, etc. So if you had to choose one pitcher to get three outs to save your life, would you choose an Aroldis Champan/Kenley Jansen/Andrew Miller type or a Clayton Kershaw/Max Scherzer/Chris Sale type? Assuming equal rest and preparedness and assume any three random hitters are coming up. My gut is leaning towards the Chapman/Jansen answer but it feels wrong to go against the best overall pitcher. Presumably Kershaw wouldn't be able to throw 97-98 even out of the pen, but in what ways might he elevate his level if he doesn't have to conserve anything for subsequent innings? More bite and movement, even more late command than normal." * Scott: "Now that we are beyond the All-Star break shouldn't we be considering the historical implications of what fans in Philadelphia have been subjected to this year? The starters' ERA is almost a half run worse than the Rockies. I am really wondering if a unit has ever had a batting average allowed of .300 for a season before, because the Phillies are chasing it." Play Index * Based on what happened in a Sonoma Stompers game last night, Sam wants to find out if there are pitchers who started a game and got the win, despite pitching fewer than 5 innings. * This can happen when a game is rained out after the fifth inning. * Sam then wants to know what the best game ever was by a starting pitcher who did not get the win. * In June 2006 Mike Mussina left a game injured after 4 perfect innings. Notes * Ben thinks that if it becomes widely known that managers are telling pitchers not to swing, then that would help bring about a MLB-wide DH. * Clayton Kershaw's fastest ever pitch was in 2008 when he threw a 98.2 MPH fastball. * In a game where the starting pitcher does not pitch at least five innings the official scorer can use their discretion to award the win to the most deserving pitcher (who is not the starter). * By ERA- the Phillies' rotation is currently the worst ever. Using defense independent statistics, the Rockies are still worse. * Sam says that during the season he could normally name at least 20 active players on each team's roster. Links * Effectively Wild Episode 707: Kershaw as a Closer, the Phillies' Pitching Apocalypse, and Other Emails Category:Episodes Category:Email Episodes